Should I help? UPDATED WITH PICS.

[cattbird]

This will be my 5th or 6th batch of eggs. Out of those I only got 1 chick!! They all developed fine right until the last minute then died in shell before pipping

With each hatch I have collaberated thermometer and hygrometer, replaced both, tried higher/ lower humidity, turned more or less times. I'm just not sure why it keeps happening. The breed I'm trying to hatch is miniature (eggs shipped from different sellers each time) All the eggs are tiny, and egg-topsys have found quite large chicks. I'm also using a really cheap incubator that doesn't have good hatch results anyway...

I have 4 eggs on day 18, due Friday. They are all alive, air cell looks good, This time I've been dry incubating. The humidity has stayed around 35 the whole way and I plan on bumping it to 65 today.

The question.. Should I just help these chicks out? I'm fed up with them dying in shell fully formed perfect babies, it's so sad and I really need a mate for my other chick. I know by helping they can die, and you may be helping chicks that shouldn't have hatched anyway.. But surely giving some hope is better than letting them perish...

What does everyone think? I've read up on helping them out.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I cannot answer your direct question, but I'd suggest checking out this site if you haven't already. You might see something in here that will help them more than what you are proposing.

Mississippi State Incubation Troubleshooting
http://www.poultry.msstate.edu/extension/pdf/troubleshooting_incubation.pdf

Good luck!

 

[walkswithdog]

Read the whole helping thread before you do try to help. Remember to go in tiny slow stages if you do help. Let it take 12 -24 hours.

I'd consider ventilation as a possible problem in a low cost incubator, make sure all the vents are open and unblocked by something. I put an extra hole in my LG eventually because I was unhappy with air flow and added a fan and got much better hatches.

I understand not wanting to lose more. It can be very frustrating and while you do help with this hatch, after this hatch try more ventilation/adding a fan and see if that helps. Sometimes it's not humidity it's available oxygen to hatch.

Good luck.

 

[cattbird]

My four miniature white silkies have ALL pipped.. 2 days early. I was all ready with tweezers, cotton buds, etc and was going to help them out tomorrow night.. But I guess now I don't have to!

This time I dry incubated. Will update with pics if anyone wants to see?

 

[walkswithdog]

Great now sit on your hands... it's so hard to wait.

 

[Sillystunt]

I had to help a quail today after it almost stopped breathing. I have my humidity to low at 62%. Keep us posted!!!